Maternal and Newborn Health Fund Annual Impact Report 2024

The Maternal and Newborn Health Fund Annual Impact Report 2024 highlights significant progress in reducing maternal and newborn mortality in 32 priority countries. Despite global setbacks including humanitarian crises, the Fund is changing the trajectory. In Fund-supported countries, maternal mortality has declined by 40 per cent since 2010, nearly twice the global average in this time span, contributing to averting an estimated 75,000 maternal deaths. In 2024 alone, 6 million pregnant women accessed safer delivery care through Fund-supported services.

The Fund’s approach puts midwives and primary health care at the centre. In 2024, over 226,000 midwives received training and more than 35,000 graduated with diplomas or degrees with Fund support. A total of 751 midwifery schools reached national or global accreditation standards. Countries such as Ethiopia, Somalia and Zambia expanded digital midwifery systems and emergency obstetric care networks, even amid conflict. In West Africa, strengthened emergency obstetric and newborn care supported safer deliveries for more than 4 million women and treated 600,000 obstetric complications.

In 2024, 88 per cent of Fund-supported countries had national systems in place for maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response. Countries like Mozambique, Somalia, and Uganda advanced real-time tracking through digital dashboards. In Sierra Leone, a locally developed pregnancy tracking app improved high-risk case identification and referral.

The Fund also helped 9,400 women receive surgical fistula repair in 2024 and supported over 2,500 survivors with reintegration assistance. Approximately 75 per cent of supported countries now have national fistula elimination strategies. Bangladesh and Nepal launched new surveillance systems, and several countries expanded maternal morbidity tracking to include mental health and anaemia.

In 2024, the Fund launched its Phase IV Business Plan, to deliver impact under four strategic pillars: policy and financing, service delivery, empowerment of women and girls, and data to drive accountability and impact. In 2024, donor support also grew: contributions to the Fund doubled to over US$19 million, featuring new multi-year agreements and increased commitments. Close to 80 per cent of resources were dedicated to country and regional action.